The new Boccaccio Cellars store has opened and they’ve already started to have regular – and amazing – tastings each week. This past Sunday I popped in to taste some wines from the Alba area of Italy, here are my notes on them.
Photo courtesy of Paul Kaan, AKA Filthy Good Vino (http://filthygoodvino.com/filthy-good-vino/)
Filed under Tasting Notes
It’s a long time between entries as far as writing on this blog (I’ve been focusing much more on The Vincast), but I thought it was about time to start putting pen to paper (metaphorically) again. I’ve decided to start something a bit different; rather than a simple tasting note on a wine, or a description of a producer and their methods, I would make the point that a bottle of wine is the property and perspective of the drinker when they open it. Every so often I open a bottle from my own collection or I taste a wine that has a personal story and a connection for me. In addition I will talk about the context in which I have enjoyed said wine; who I drink it with, where and what with. I hope you enjoy, and of course you are welcome to share some of your own experiences, whether with the wine in question or a different one entirely.
Roberto Voerzio Cerequio Barolo 2006
Filed under Musings, Tasting Notes
The one and only Giorgio de Maria joins me on the show in this episode. As one of the leading lights of the natural wine movement in Australia, Italian-born Giorgio is behind such Sydney institutions as Vini and 121BC. He is also one of the organisers of the Rootstock Festival, this year held in Sydney for the second time, and next year to be held in Hong Kong. He share a bit about his background and how he came to work with wines of this calibre.
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Giorgio De Maria
Filed under Podcasts
I’m not sure if it was just the jet lag but there was a surreal feeling returning to Italy, the place that had the most profound impact for me on my big trip a few years ago. After some 18 hours in transit and only six hours sleep on a plane in two days, I collected my Fiat 500 (the same car I had last time) from Malpensa airport and set off for Alba in Piemonte.
This is what I look like after 18 hours of transit
Filed under Winery Visits
Castelcerino Soave 2013
A little closed at the moment, showing the salty shellfish, hints of volcanic. Vibrantly fresh with fantastic balance of fruit, acid herbs and minerality. Long.
Vigna della Bra 2012
Lovely briny capers, juicy vibrant and a little fat. Rich fantastic and complex, mouth-filling, delicious and unique.
Turbiana 2012 (trebbiano)
Similar shellfish notes, wild herbal green fruits. On the palate slightly haunting, still bright and fresh, more open and elusive though.
Filed under Tasting Notes
De Fratelli 2010
Beeswax citrus herbs, lively on the palate, wild dry savoury and open. Beeswax comes late on the palate, vibrant and fresh, absolutely outstanding.
Querciole 2013
Clean bright colour, more fruit on the nose, less skin contact character. More fruit sweetness but also more volatility.
Nottediluna 2012
Very much in the cider realm, gorgeous fresh and complex, vibrant aromatic, lovely fruit generosity, what a cracker of a wine.
Querciole 2006
Very savoury nutty aroma, darker colour, round soft gentle, savoury nutty and cheesy.
Sottobosco 2013
Quite raw and rustic nose, stinky and funky. Meaty tannins, very dark but nice softness of fruit.
Gheppio 2009
Really wild and complex to the point of being difficult. Somehow delicious and very savoury.
Serafino 2011
Soft generous tannins, bold yet round and long, a fuller more mellow red wine.
Filed under Tasting Notes
Trebbiano 2013
Bright intense honey herbed fruit, lovely talkiness and volatility. Nice fruit evolution across the palate, vibrant fresh style, quite clean with a hint of savoury.
Malvasia Rosa 2013
A bit darker than the 2010, a bit deeper and more closed on the nose. Bolder fruit, juicier too, a bit of sweetness but some nice herb character, vibrant now but will settle.
Lambrusco 2012
Really interesting tightness, very dry but fresh, some lovely sweet dark fruit on the back palate. Doesn’t scream natural wine, in fact on the lean side, very pleasant wine.
Barbera 2012
Fruitier more approachable nose, juicy soft and round yet focused. Very moreish, depends food but also fresh enough to encourage appetite.
Rosso della Bandita 2013 (four undisclosed red varieties)
Quite aromatic but closed and very young, wonderfully fresh, dry soft energetic, very lithe.
Filed under Tasting Notes
Bianco 2011
Honey herbal volatility. Exceedingly fresh, complex, just a bit of dirtiness on the back. Classic skin contact style, wild salty texture.
Rosato 2010
Very dark for a rosé. Unbelievably complete, complex and long, dark fruits, spice herbs. Unbelievably perfect and yet haunting.
La Querciola 2010
Dark earthy, seeing some volatility. Very very complex, intense dark earthy, very intense tannins.
Filed under Tasting Notes
Unlitro 2013
Smells a bit more raw and wild than the 2012 vintage, reminds me of cru beaujolais. Wonderful freshness acidity tightness and focus, lovely light savoury notes, spectacular wine.
Alicante 2013
Very floral with a bit of mint, still see the soils coming through. Tighter leaner more focused, nice bright fresh red fruits, more interesting expression.
Kepos 2012
Deep dark focused, interesting talky quality. Good intensity and freshness, bright and focused.
Ampeleia 2011
Looking a little green on the nose, very vintage specific but I like the evolution of style.
Filed under Tasting Notes
Langhe Arneis 2013
Stainless steel fermented and kept on lees for 2-3 months.
Very bright fruits, slightest hint of green minerality. Quite intense on the front, nice and clean with a bit of length.
Langhe Chardonnay 2012
Classic fruit profile on the nose, quite ripe fruit, stone fruits, peaches. Texture of malolactic and oak, modern international style.
Langhe Chardonnay 2006
Quite shy on the nose in fact, showing some richness and tastiness. Quite lovely in fact, nice balance, fruit settled down well, good texture.
La Ginestraia Pigato 2013
Very pale and light in colour, interesting honeysuckle character. Tight lean herbs and quince, nice saline quality.
Via Maestra Pigato 2012
The variety is hidden by oak and malolactic notes. Sort of defeats the purpose.
Dolcetto Diano d’Alba 2012
A sharpness to it, a bit of bite, finishes nice and soft. A bit sharp in the mid-palate, food reliant.
Barbera d’Alba 2011
Very classic clean expression, soft yet focused with nice balance. Slightest hint of savoury nose, “simple but not banal”.
La Soprana Barbera d’Alba 2011
Yes it’s a modern style, but for what it is it is good.
Tre Marzo Langhe Rosso 2011
Very slightly volatile on the nose. Really intense and concentrated tannins, but nice finish, very young and a little unfocused.
Nebbiolo d’Alba Briccobertone 2010
Pretty intense concentrated fruits, a bit of oak but not dominating, finishes quite long.
Barolo 2010
Fairly soft generous sweet tannins, oaky but balanced and released well, long and soft yet fresh.
Monvigliero Barolo 2010
A lot more closed aromatically. Denser more intense tannins, really concentrated powerful with a fresh finish, juicy for a barolo this young.
Filed under Tasting Notes
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